Allen James Spartz, age 87, of Luverne, went to heaven peacefully, Oct. 2, 2026, from the Luverne Hospice Cottage with his family at his side after a long battle with his health. He was born July 15, 1939, to Leo and Hermina (Ruffing) Spartz.
Allen graduated from Our Lady of Good Counsel Catholic High School and then served his country in the United States Navy. Allen married Barb Reese on July 1, 1961, at St. Adrian Catholic Church in Adrian. The couple lived in Worthington for a short time before moving to Luverne where Allen worked at Minnegasco Natural Gas Company until he retired. He also worked at Land O’ Lakes Creamery, enjoyed an occasional trucking run with his brother Tom and operated his own AJ Spartz Trucking for a short time. He and Barb built S & S Car Wash in 1984 owning and operating it for 38 years and later built A & B Car Wash in 2006, owning and operating it for 20 years.
He was a member of St. Catherine Catholic Church in Luverne serving on the parish council, Eucharistic minister and as an usher. He was an avid reader of any newspaper he could get his hands on. He enjoyed a big cake pan of popcorn, dancing, nightly Wheel of Fortune with Barb, morning coffee with his friends at McDonald’s, coin collecting, making a 50 states quarter book for each of his grandkids, snowmobiles and repairing CB radios from their home as a part-time business he called Fiddler’s CB Cellar. He and Barb loved camping with their children in the 1956 Studebaker school bus he converted into a motorhome. They traveled to various parks in the area as well as trips to Yellowstone, northern Minnesota and annual trips to the cities to visit his brother Marv and to take his kids to enjoy Valleyfair. He and Barb also enjoyed annual lake vacations for 30 years with their children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren; shaking dice in the evening being one of his favorite activities. He could fix pretty much anything, tackling any task large or small and passed those skills along to his sons.
Most of all Allen loved his family deeply, worked hard to provide, and was so proud of all of them; a message he conveyed once more to one of his nurses in his recent hospital stay.
Allen is survived by his wife, Barb Spartz, Luverne; six children, Dan (Jane) Spartz, Dayton; Lynn (Rick) Richters, Luverne; Mary (Wayne) Thompson, Luverne; Susie Spartz, Burnsville; Rich (Kelly) Spartz, Plymouth; and Dave Spartz, Luverne; sixteen grandchildren; twenty two great-grandchildren and two on the way; two brothers, Tom (Mary) Spartz, Wilmont; and Marv (Teri) Spartz, Plymouth; sister Joyce, Blue Earth and two sisters-in-law, Beth Spartz, Wilmont; and Bibi Spartz, Brewster; and many extended family and friends.
Allen was preceded in death by his granddaughter, Brooke Thompson; parents, Leo and Hermina Spartz, brother, Lyle Spartz and a brother-in-law, Don Ziegler. He will be loved forever, missed for always; blessed be his memory.
Visitation was from 4 to 7 p.m. Tuesday, Oct. 6, at the Dingmann Funeral Home, in Luverne, with Parish Prayers at 6:45 p.m. Visitation was also from 9:30 to 10:15 a.m. Wednesday at the church. Funeral mass was at 10:30 a.m. Wednesday at St. Catherine Catholic Church, in Luverne, officiated by Fr. Joshua Miller and Monsignor Gerald Kosse. Burial was in the St. Catherine Cemetery.
